shapes of feeling

1. BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONOURS) IN ARCHITECTURE
THEORIES OF ARCHITECTURE AND URBANISM
(ARC61303/ARC2224)
SYNOPSIS: REACTION PAPER (MARCH 2017)
Name: Yong Yu Joon ID No.: 0318299
Lecturer: Nicholas Ng Tutorial Time:
Reader/Text Title: The Geometry of Feeling Synopsis No: 2
Author: Juhani Pallasmaa
Phenomenology is the study ofconsciousness and the objects ofdirectexperience which is heavily
highlighted throughout this text. The text focuses on the degradation ofthe phenomenological aspectin
modern architecture in the eyes ofthe author.
The author believes thatmodern architecture has lostits ability to invoke the emotions and thoughts of
people through personal experience. Personal experience has been a factor overlooked in modern times
due to modern technological advancements which reduced modern architecture solely into an expression of
form, aesthetics and visual elements. Other senses are no longer taken into consideration and the
articulation of senses is lost. The meaning and understanding ofarchitecture has strayed too far from its
origins and lostits effectiveness and phenomenological ability. This statementis backed up by the failure of
postmodernism architecture in its attempt to recreate the art ofemotive phenomenology by returning to
heavy ornamentation of the classical era as the architecture fails to link with the 5 senses and user
experience thus, reducing itto meaningless ornamentation.
In my opinion, the nature of architecture has just evolved rather than deteriorated. The introduction of
modern building laws have limited butalso improved the safety ofmany buildings. Modern architecture is
now more visually focused as itis more appealing to laymen such as the public and clients. The nature of
the clienthas also changed through time opting for more profitable projects rather than huge cathedrals of
the pastto show power and wealth. Architecture evolves with the nature of man as the motives ofman as
the developers oftoday and the barons and kings ofbefore had differentobjectives to achieve through
architecture. Today, clients and developers focus more on costand profitwhile cathedrals ofthe past were
meant to be massive figures as a display ofpower and influence.
Word Count: 308 Mark Grade
Assessed by: Date Page No.